Mental health bosses in Norfolk and Suffolk to face scrutiny over claims of 'toned down' report
It's amid allegations a report into failings was 'toned down' to protect senior staff
Last updated 14th Sep 2023
NHS bosses in charge of mental health services in Norfolk and Suffolk are to face fresh scrutiny later - amid allegations a report into failings was 'toned down' to protect senior staff.
The report, put together by accountancy firm Grant Thornton and released in June, found the trust had lost track of the number of deaths of patients either under or formerly under its care.
Now, a committee at Norfolk County Council has called for the trust's Chief Exec to appear - to answer questions about how to bring about 'institutional change'.
What did Norfolk County Council say?
Reporting by the BBC last month alleged that earlier drafts of the report were much more critical of management at NSFT.
Councillor Fran Whymark, chair of Norfolk Council's health overview and scrutiny committee, said: “I am very concerned to learn about the issues raised in the BBC reporting on NSFT today."
"Following these tragic deaths, we all need to have full confidence that NSFT will be open about the lessons learnt and that it will take the right action.
"My committee will be looking into the issues, when it meets on 14 September.
“At the committee meeting, I expect to hear from the chief executive about what has been done and what will be done, to address the culture which has allowed this to happen.
“This is an opportunity for NSFT to be open and honest about the long term failings which have had such a devastating impact on residents in Norfolk and Suffolk.
“The learning from the report will be worthless if there is no institutional change, from board level down.”
What did Grant Thornton say?
At the time, a spokesperson for Grant Thornton said: “Our final report and the conclusions within it provide transparency and clarity on the long-standing historical concerns raised about the Trust’s reporting."
"We take professional pride that our work has played a part in bringing attention to these issues and we hope our work will contribute to the improvement of services for the people of Norfolk and Suffolk.
“It is standard practice to share an initial draft of a report to ensure it is a fair and accurate reflection of the processes reviewed, and that the findings from the report result in improvement and change where it is required.
"It is not uncommon for findings and language to be refined before being finalised."
What did the NSFT say?
Stuart Richardson, Chief Executive Officer at NSFT, said: “Our thoughts and heartfelt sympathies are with those family and friends who have lost their loved ones and who have been upset by the publication of this review on how the Trust processes mortality data.
“At our request, the NHS Integrated Care Boards commissioned the independent report by auditors Grant Thornton. It sets out recommendations which will help us to improve systems and processes related to the collection, processing, and reporting of mortality data.
“We have accepted the findings and recommendations in full, and work is underway to urgently address them. It is important to note that none of the recommendations have changed from the early drafts of the report to the final published version.
“As is common practice, we responded to requests from the auditors to check the factual accuracy of their early draft report and to provide further information. This is a standard process to make sure that such reports are evidence-based and that content accurately reflects the situation relating to the data being reviewed.
“We have been open and honest about the failings highlighted in this report, and are committed to bringing about the improvements that our service users and staff deserve.”